Disregarding Laws We Oppose
An Open Letter to San Francisco Civil Authority
By David Codrea
codrea4@...
February 16, 2004
Dear Mayor Newsom (gavin.newsom@...), Judge Warren
(wsuperiorct@...) and Acting Chief Fong (sfpdpbaf@...),
Mayor, I see you are authorizing city employees to perform homosexual
marriages, Judge Warren, you are allowing them to proceed, and Chief
Fong, you are allowing California law, as enacted by a vote of the
people, to be publicly and repeatedly broken without making any arrests.
I'm not commenting on that issue, per se, so much as observing that you
are all three instigating and abetting the violation of that law.
Judge Warren, you went so far as to state that you couldn't issue a
restraining order to halt the marriages because, as Reuters reported,
"there was not enough evidence presented showing that immediate damage
would be done by allowing them."
Which leaves me with an interesting dilemma.
You see, I also belong to a group that is forced by social prejudices to
keep a low profile-often times to hide my choices and practices lest I
suffer disapproval and ultimately, life-threatening persecution by the
state.
I am a gun owner and I live a gun owner life style.
I don't know if I was born with a tendency to be this way, or if it was
an acquired disposition. All I know is, I don't see why I should be
forced to change. Truth be known, I like owning guns, and am happy with
who I am. I hope I suffer no repercussions by "coming out of the safe,"
but I just can't hide the truth any longer.
We gun owners have been living and working among you. Our kids go to
school with yours. We may be your doctor, or minister, or your child's
teacher. We may even work in city administration, or the courts, or on
the police force. And we are sick of being abused for simply being who
we are, all because of hoplophobic* prejudice and fear. We don't see any
reason why we should have to put up with it any more.
Which brings me back to my dilemma and the reason I am writing you.
You have shown progressive thinking and tolerance for that which the
majority condemns. So I was thinking of coming up to San Francisco and
exercising my right to keep and bear arms, maybe showing up at City Hall
with a state-banned AR-15 and a couple 30-round magazines, and also
carrying several pistols concealed without a permit.
Yes, I know, it will be a violation of California laws, but you've shown
that you're willing to disregard those when it serves your goals. And
because I am a peaceable citizen, I should easily meet Judge Warren's
criterion that no immediate damage would be done by allowing this.
So what do you think, if I visit your city and proudly display my
lifestyle choices, can I count on your support? As a private citizen,
don't I have as much right to disregard laws I find reprehensible as you
public officials? Isn't that what equality is supposed to be all about,
where no class of citizen enjoys privileges and immunities not extended
to all?
How about it? You wouldn't have me arrested, would you?
Please let me know if I have your support.
Sincerely,
David Codrea <http://www.keepandbeararms.com/codrea/>
* Credit and gratitude to the peerless Col. Jeff Cooper for coining this
term.
"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws" Tacitus
"It is the duty of a gentleman to know how to
ride, to shoot, to fence, to box, to swim, to row
and to dance. He should be graceful. If attacked by
ruffians, a man should be able to defend himself,
and also to defend women from their insults"
Rules of Etiquette and Home Culture. 1886
In order to get power and retain it, it is necessary to love power; but
love of power is not connected with goodness but with qualities that are
the opposite of goodness, such as pride, cunning and cruelty. - LEO
TOLSTOY